Moors make it two wins from two to open pre-season schedule

TWO victories from two have ensured that Tim Flower’s Solihull Moors have made the perfect start to their pre-season.

Having beaten Halesowen Town 3-1 on Saturday, they repeated the scoreline against Birmingham City under-23s on Tuesday.

Terry Hawkridge, Jordan Murphy and Matty Stenson scored against Blues, while Paul McCallum, Ryan Nesbitt and Stenson netted against the Yeltz at The Grove.

A behind-closed-doors friendly at Trillion Trophy Training Centre against Blues Development side provided Flowers with a second look at his troops in match action, who impressed throughout and deservedly earned a victory.

Danny Wright had the first chance of the game when heading over, though it took just 13 minutes for the opener to arrive.

Jamie Reckord put through Hawkridge, who confidently slotted home via the inside of the post.

Four minutes later, it was 2-0, Murphy tapping the ball into the net via a deflection.

A header by Lee Vaughan was inches away from making it three before the break, but Blues survived after the woodwork was rattled.

Stenson scored his second goal in pre-season in the second half, firing a volley in off the post to make the game safe for Moors.

The hosts pulled one back when Jayden Reid picked out the top corner, but it was a single blemish to another assured performance by the National League side.

In the opening friendly against the Yeltz, summer signing McCallum made an immediate impact by heading home from Murphy’s cross seven minutes, nodding the ball past Yeltz keeper Brendon Bunn.

Moors were pegged back with ten minutes remaining when their trialist goalkeeper spilled an effort from range, and Isai Marselia levelled.

The Solihull manager will be left pleased by the reaction of his side to the set-back, however. Nesbitt’s volley from a Reckord cross restored their lead and Stenson had a late tap-in to seal victory.

Solihull are next in action on Saturday (3pm) away to Leamington, before visiting AFC Telford United on Tuesday (7.45pm).

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